Parents find that there are many situations in which they travel with small children in their laps. In crowded trains and buses, placing a child in one's lap can be necessary owing to the density of crowds, concerns for the child's safety, and the child's natural need for affection and a feeling of security. In airplanes, it is often possible for children under two to travel for free in the lap of a parent or guardian. And, where a parent or guardian must use a wheelchair to travel, keeping the child in his or her lap is often a necessity.
However, traveling with lap children presents challenges in its own right. On all kinds of public conveyances, a sudden stop or crash risks sending the child flying, sometimes resulting in serious injury. Airplanes generally require that a lap child be strapped in, but under some circumstances, a child sharing a seat belt with an adult is worse off than an unsecured child, as the much more massive adult can press the child against the belt in the event of a deceleration, causing injury to the child. In any case, traveling for long distances with the child in the adult's lap can be uncomfortable, for both the adult and child. The points on the adult's lap that support the child's weight can become sore over time. The child may also become restless; a trying situation for any parent. If the child is in a baby carrier, the problem of discomfort remains, and is compounded by the back and shoulder strain caused by supporting the child's weight, via the baby carrier, for long distances.
Therefore, there remains a need for a secure, comfortable solution to travel with lap children.